Among the districts that have stood out for their lack of diversity over the years are Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Scotia-Glenville, Ballston Spa, Saratoga Springs, Niskayuna, Amsterdam, Shenendehowa, Guilderland, North Colonie and South Colonie.

One can put a lot of the blame on district administrators for not making a strong enough effort to diversify their staffs. They are, after all, the ones who recruit new teachers and make the final hiring decisions.

But as our report points out, there are legitimate obstacles in their way, including a lack of diversity among the pool of teaching applicants.

The responsibility for diversifying that pool falls on the state Education Department, the state university system and the profession itself, which must do more to encourage people of color to enter teaching, through better promotion and incentives.

Parents and other taxpayers also need to play a greater role, by holding local district officials and the education system accountable for the changes that need to be made.

All children, regardless of race or ethnic background, benefit greatly from a diverse teaching population.